Journey is a powerful documentary that follows four members of the first graduating class of Jamaica’s Alpha School of Music.
Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, Alpha has transformed young lives through music for more than a century. In 2025, four pioneering students prepare for their final performance — a showcase that represents both personal achievement and a historic moment for the school.
Directed by Garreth M. Daley, Journey features drummer and valedictorian Jonathan Gordon, bassist Alejandro Keating, violinist and vocalist Zuri Gordon, the first woman to study music at Alpha, and Sanje Landell, the first graduate of Alpha’s vocational programme to move on to tertiary music studies.
Through candid interviews, behind-the-scenes moments, and dynamic concert footage, the film captures the heart of a new generation of Jamaican musicians. Journey is more than a documentary — it is a tribute to resilience, tradition, and the transformative power of music.
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For more than a century, the Sisters of Mercy in Jamaica have nurtured young people through education, social support and music performance. In 2021, they opened a new chapter with the launch of the Alpha School of Music, offering a tertiary degree designed to train 21st century musicians for the 21st century music industry. Journey, a GD Films production, directed by Garreth M. Daley, documents the extraordinary story of members from the very first graduating class.
Shot during May 2025, the students’ final month, the film follows four trailblazing musicians as they prepare their graduate showcase—a milestone not only in their own lives, but in the life of the school itself. The camera captures candid individual reflections, shared challenges and achievements amidst the build-up to the standing room only performance, offering a rare glimpse into Alpha’s renowned training.
At the heart of the story are four remarkable students: Jonathan Gordon, drummer and Alpha’s first valedictorian; Alejandro Keating, bassist and the school’s very first student to register when Alpha opened; Zuri Gordon, violinist, vocalist, and the first woman to study music at Alpha; and Sanje Landell, drummer and the first graduate from Alpha’s vocational training programme to be accepted to the Alpha School of Music.
Through stunning concert footage as well as exclusive interviews with students and Alpha’s Director of Music, Gay Magnus, Journey captures not only their individual stories but also the collective journey of the ensemble as they produce and perform at this landmark event. Blending equal parts personal diary, coming of age story and Jamaican cultural documentary, Journey provides a front row seat to the transformative power of modern music education today.